VIDEO: Warrnambool Food Share up and running but looking for permanent home

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HAMPERS prepared by Warrnambool Food Share have helped stop a more than a
thousand people from going hungry so far this year.

The group recently
opened its doors again after moving from Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative,
but the hunt is now on to find a permanent home with just 10 months left on
their tenure at the former Mitre 10 building on Raglan Parade

Around 15 volunteers spend
20 hours a week sifting through tonnes of food to deliver as far as Portland and
Hamilton.

Surrounded by crates of produce and humming of refrigerators,
coordinator Cathy Harbison said donations were needed to give Food Share a
proper home and a new delivery van.

"We got these premises very
generously rent free from South West TAFE," Ms Harbison said.

"One of
our biggest challenges is going to be finding new permanent premises in the
future - we've got less than a year to find one."

She said the board was
already searching for local support to seek out a space.

In January Food Share collected 3105 kilograms of local food as well as four tonnes of fruit,
vegetables eggs and frozen goods from the second bite program in Melbourne.

"We have about 30 agencies with in Warrnambool and Moyne Shire and they
collect hampers we pack that are targeted for the particular needs of families,"
she said.

Member for South West Coast Denis Napthine urged the community
to get behind the service, during a visit to the site.

"It's a great
service that provides food from collected from many of our supermarkets that is
good quality food," Dr Napthine said.

"It's given to the Salvation Army
and churches who then pass it onto families in need so people who are suffering
difficult circumstances don't go hungry."